Bouquet Dill
Anethum graveolens
Early flowering plants produce large blooms, seed umbels, and foliage on long stems, making Bouquet the preferred dill for cut-flower use and pickling. Also an economical, fast-growing choice for baby-leaf production. Edible seeds, flowers, and greens flavor many foods. Popular addition to sauces, salads, and soup. Foliage known as dill weed. Edible Flowers: The flowers are used to garnish potato salad, green salads, and pickles. When broken into florets, they can be mixed into a cheese spread or omelet.Also available in organic seed.
Harvest
40-60d
Days to harvest
Sun
ah-NEE-thum grav-ee-OH-lens
Zones
2–11
USDA hardiness
Height
2-5 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Bouquet Dill in USDA Zone 7
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Bouquet Dill · Zones 2–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – May | June – July | — | July – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – July | — | July – October |
| Zone 5 | March – April | May – June | — | June – October |
| Zone 6 | March – April | May – June | — | June – November |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – June | — | June – November |
| Zone 8 | February – March | April – May | — | May – December |
| Zone 9 | January – February | March – April | — | April – December |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – April | — | April – December |
Complete Growing Guide
Light: ah-NEE-thum grav-ee-OH-lens. Soil: High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 2 ft. 6 in. - 5 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 2 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Low. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Dill fruits are oval, compressed with ridges and progress from bright green color to dark brown with age. They have a pleasant aromatic odor.
Color: Brown/Copper, Green. Type: Schizocarp. Length: < 1 inch. Width: < 1 inch.
Garden value: Edible, Fragrant
Harvest time: Fall, Spring, Summer
Bloom time: Summer
Edibility: Leaves (dill weed), seeds, and flowers are edible (used in teas, pickling, and as culinary seasoning). Dill herb and dill seed oils are steam-distilled and used by the food industry as seasonings. Add to pickles, mince in butter, and cook with salmon, borscht, fish, and soups. Dill can be used in teas and as seasoning for butter, cakes, bread, vinegars, soups, fish, pickles, salads, etc.
Storage & Preservation
Fresh Bouquet Dill leaves stay crisp in the refrigerator for 7-10 days when stored like fresh flowers - trim stem ends and place in a jar with an inch of water, then cover loosely with a plastic bag. Change water every 2-3 days.
For longer storage, freezing preserves dill's flavor better than drying. Wash and thoroughly dry fresh fronds, then freeze whole in freezer bags. Frozen dill crumbles easily and works perfectly in cooked dishes, though it loses its crisp texture for fresh applications.
Dill seeds store excellently when completely dry. After harvesting seed heads, hang them upside down in paper bags in a warm, dry location for 2-3 weeks. Once fully dried, seeds will keep their potent flavor for 2-3 years in airtight containers. For pickling enthusiasts, these seeds are superior to store-bought for both flavor intensity and freshness - use them whole in pickle brines or grind fresh for seasoning blends.
History & Origin
Bouquet Dill emerged in the mid-20th century as plant breeders recognized the need for a more reliable, compact dill variety that could serve both home gardeners and commercial herb producers. While dill (Anethum graveolens) has ancient origins in the Mediterranean and Western Asia - with archaeological evidence showing its use in Egyptian tombs over 3,000 years ago - the Bouquet variety represents modern breeding focused on practical garden performance.
This variety was specifically developed to address two major complaints about traditional dill: its tendency to bolt quickly in warm weather and its tall, sometimes unwieldy growth habit. Bouquet's compact, bushy form and slow-bolting characteristics made it particularly valuable during the pickle-making boom of the 1960s and 70s, when home food preservation experienced a renaissance.
The name 'Bouquet' reflects both its ornamental value - the seed heads are prized by florists for dried arrangements - and its abundant, clustered foliage that resembles a fragrant bouquet. Today, it remains the gold standard against which other dill varieties are measured, combining the classic dill flavor that has seasoned food for millennia with the reliability modern gardeners demand.
Advantages
- +Disease resistance: Deer
- +Attracts: Leaves (dill weed), seeds, and flowers are edible (used in teas, pickling, and as culinary seasoning). Dill herb and dill seed oils are steam-distilled and used by the food industry as seasonings. Add to pickles, mince in butter, and cook with salmon, borscht, fish, and soups. Dill can be used in teas and as seasoning for butter, cakes, bread, vinegars, soups, fish, pickles, salads, etc.
- +Wildlife value: Larval host to the black swallowtail butterfly. Attracts beneficial insects such as bees, wasps, hover flies and butterflies.
- +Edible: Leaves (dill weed), seeds, and flowers are edible (used in teas, pickling, and as culinary seasoning). Dill herb and dill seed oils are steam-distilled and used by the food industry as seasonings. Add to pickles, mince in butter, and cook with salmon, borscht, fish, and soups. Dill can be used in teas and as seasoning for butter, cakes, bread, vinegars, soups, fish, pickles, salads, etc.
- +Low maintenance
Companion Plants
Plant Together
Cabbage
Dill repels cabbage worms and improves cabbage growth and flavor
Tomatoes
Dill attracts beneficial insects that prey on tomato hornworms and aphids
Cucumber
Dill repels cucumber beetles and attracts pollinators for better fruit set
Lettuce
Dill provides light shade and attracts beneficial insects while repelling aphids
Onions
Both plants repel common garden pests and do not compete for nutrients
Brussels Sprouts
Dill deters cabbage moths and improves the flavor of brassicas
Broccoli
Dill attracts parasitic wasps that control broccoli pests like aphids and caterpillars
Marigolds
Both attract beneficial insects and create a pest-deterrent combination
Keep Apart
Carrots
Mature dill can stunt carrot growth and affect root development
Fennel
Cross-pollinates with dill and can reduce seed viability and flavor
Lavender
Competes for similar nutrients and can inhibit dill's growth through allelopathy
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #172233)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Good resistance to most diseases, may get powdery mildew in humid conditions
Common Pests
Aphids, spider mites, parsley worm caterpillars
Diseases
Powdery mildew, damping off, leaf blight